United Nations report highlights significant increase in U.S. climate pollution

The U.S. is the only major economy where planet-warming pollution dramatically increased last year. The United Nations warns the planet is on track for catastrophic warming.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/6000x4000!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa7%2F9b%2Fa2c776734499835a32baf99555f7%2Fap26008814159354.jpg' alt='The Jeffrey Energy Center coal-fired power plant as seen in January 2026 in Topeka, Kan. Burning coal contributed to a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions by the United States last year, according to a new United Nations report.'/><p>The U.S. is the only major economy where planet-warming pollution dramatically increased last year. The United Nations warns the planet is on track for catastrophic warming.</p><p>(Image credit: Charlie Riedel)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-6003553' />